Constitutions

Constitutions of the Southeast Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics

SECTION A:       NAME, SCOPE AND EXTENT OF ACTIVITIES

The Federation extends its activities throughout the Southeast Asian region.

Its regular membership shall consist of medical physics organizations which are members of the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) and are based in countries that belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Article 3

The Federation may remain in existence for an unlimited period. The voluntary dissolution of the Federation shall be approved only in accordance with the Articles of this Constitution.

SECTION B:       AIMS AND FUNCTIONS

Article 4

(1) The aims and purposes of the Federation are:

(a) To promote co-operation and communication between medical  physics organizations in the region;

(b) To promote medical physics and related activities in the region;

(c) To promote the advancement in status and standard of practice of the medical physics profession;

(d) To organize and/or sponsor international and   regional conferences,  meetings or courses;

(e) To collaborate or affiliate with other scientific Organizations;

(2) The activities of the Federation are not aimed at profit.

SECTION C:      MEMBERSHIP

Article 5

Membership of the Federation shall consist of:

(a) Regular Membership,

(b) Honorary Membership (See Article 7),(c) Additional categories of membership created according to Article 8 (see Appendix).

Article 6

(1) The Medical Physics Organizations in the Southeast Asian region may apply for Regular Membership in the Federation. Only those Organizations which are members of IOMP and are based in ASEAN member-countries will be admitted to Regular Membership in the Federation.

(2) Medical Physics Organizations will be admitted to Membership in the Federation by the Council, if approved by a majority of two-thirds of the votes of members of the Council present and expressed.

(3) Medical Physics Organizations applying for Membership in the Federation must submit copies of their rules, constitutions or statutes, and a statement giving names and work places of officers, the number of members, and the activities of the Organization.

(4) Organizations may withdraw from Membership of the Federation on six months notice.

(5) Cancellation of Membership in the Federation may be decided by the Council with a majority of two-thirds of the votes of members of the Council present and expressed.  Before voting, the Council must have stated the reasons for proposing cancellation in writing and must have invited the Member Organization to present a case opposing such cancellation in writing or orally.

(6) Termination of Membership may be imposed by the Council, when a Member Organization has remained more than two years in arrears with its subscription, despite two warnings in writing from the Secretary-General.

Article 7

Individuals who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of Medical Physics are eligible for admission to the Federation as Honorary Members, subject to the approval of the Council.

Article 8

At its discretion, the Council may create additional categories of membership with associated conditions and may amend or dissolve the membership categories so created.

The additional membership categories in force for the time being shall be defined in an appendix of this constitution.

Article 9

Members of the Federation are not liable for its debts or liabilities. The Federation is liable only to the extent of its assets.

SECTION D:      ADMINISTRATION

Article 10

(1) The Council is deemed to be the Constitutional Body of the Federation and directs the activities of the Federation.

(2) The Council comprises Council Members appointed by each Member Organization and the Officers of the Council.

(3) The Officers of the Council are The President, The Vice-President, The Secretary-General, The Treasurer and Chairpersons of the Committees.

(4) The Executive Officers are the President, Vice-President, Secretary-General and the Treasurer.

(5) The President of the Council can invite individuals, in particular Honorary Members and representatives of co-operating Organizations, to attend Council meetings as observers.

Article 11

(1) Each Member Organization shall officially appoint one delegate as a Council Member to the Council through a letter to the Secretary General.  A Council Member so appointed shall be considered a duly appointed representative of the Member Organization, until the Member Organization revokes the appointment through a letter to the Secretary-General.

(2) The President, Vice-President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer normally serve for one period of three years.

(3) A Member Organization whose delegate is elected as an Officer of the Council may appoint a replacement delegate.

(4) The Council normally meets once per year.

(5) The President is the legal representative of the Federation and shall summon and chair the meetings of the Council.  The Vice-President may act on the President’s behalf during the latter’s absence.

(6) The Council shall be summoned for an  extraordinary session by the President upon the written request of not less than one-fifth of the members or upon the President’s own decision.

(7) If a delegate is unable to attend a meeting of the Council, the Member Organization may designate an alternate delegate and the Secretary-General must be notified of such designation before the meeting.

(8) The Secretary-General shall maintain communication with Member Organizations and with appointed Council Members.  He/she shall be responsible for the safekeeping of records and documents of the Federation.

(9) The Executive Officers of the Council shall prepare agendas, papers and budgets for circulation to delegates.  Copies shall be sent to Member Organizations two months before the meeting.

(10) The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting and safekeeping funds of the Federation. He/she shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He/she shall disburse these funds upon official notification of the President. He/she shall make a financial report every six months and/or upon request of a Council Member.

SECTION E:       COUNCIL BUSINESS

Article 12

(1) The Council is the supreme authority of the Federation and has power to:

(a) adopt or modify the Constitution of the Federation;

(b) elect the President, Vice-President, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer;

(c) decide on the admission of Medical Physics Organizations to Membership;

(d) decide on the admission of individuals to Honorary Membership;

(e) terminate Membership of Member Organizations;

(f) dissolve the Federation;

(g) establish the annual membership subscription;

(h) set up committees for specific defined matters;

(i) set up foundations or other appropriate legal bodies to facilitate realizing the aims and purposes of the Federation; and

(j) elect the Honorary Auditor.

(2) The Council has the responsibilities of furthering the aims and purposes of the Federation, and managing its financial affairs.

(3) Each Member Organization is entitled to one vote. Honorary Members have no vote.  Officers have no votes, unless voting results in a tie, in which case the President has a casting vote.

(4) The Council can make valid proceedings of its meetings if a quorum exists.  A quorum exists if one third of all possible votes are represented by delegates at the Council meeting.  If the Council cannot make valid its proceedings, i.e. there is no quorum, Officers have the option to defer the decision to the next meeting of the Council or they can decide to have a postal or e-mail balloting.  However, if such is the case, at least two thirds of the votes represented at the Council meeting must approve the postal or e-mail balloting.

Prior to any e-mail or postal balloting being conducted, all relevant documents should be circulated to member organizations for consultation for a period of not less than two weeks.

The Secretary-General on issuance of a ballot shall specify the date on which the postal or e-mail ballot will be counted.

(5) Issues related to Council business are decided either by unanimous agreement of the Council, or by a majority vote among Council members present at a valid meeting or as prescribed elsewhere in the Constitution.

(6) The Secretary-General shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting upon the request of 30% of the delegate votes.

(7) Excluding matters relating to the dissolution of the Federation, changes in its Constitution or Membership, the Executive Officers have the power to act where prompt action is deemed necessary in their judgement.  This shall include the power to establish ad hoc committees for specified purposes. The Chairpersons of such Committees shall be appointed by the President.

Such actions shall be reported by mail or e-mail to Council members and placed on the agenda for formal approval at the next Council meeting.

SECTION F:       AUDIT

Article 13

(1) One voting member who is not an Executive Officer, shall be elected as Honorary Auditor by the Council and will hold office for a term of three years. He/she  shall not be elected for a consecutive term. 

(2) The auditor:

(a) Will be required to audit each year’s accounts and present a report to the Council.

(b) May be required by the President to audit the Federation’s accounts 

for any period within his/her tenure of office at any date and to make a report to the Executive Officers of the Council.

SECTION G:       FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Article 14

The financial resources of the Federation consist of:

(a) Subscriptions paid by Members;

(b) Gifts, bequests and legacies;

(c) Subsidies and grants;

(d) Any other resources or revenues which may result from the Federation’ s activities or investments.

Article 15

Subscriptions shall be fixed by the Council. However, in case of difficulty, Member Organizations may apply to the Executive Officers for relief from all or part of the subscription.

Honorary Members are not required to pay any subscription.

Article 16

The accounting period shall be the calendar year.

The Treasurer shall report annually to the Council on financial matters.

The membership of Organizations which have not paid the proper dues for two consecutive years can be terminated according to Article 6(5).  Member Organizations who have not paid their dues for two years or more have no right to vote.

Officers, who belong to an Organization, which has not paid its subscription for two consecutive years, shall be excluded from office and replaced by the Council.

Article 17

In the event of the Federation being dissolved, assets remaining after discharge of all debts shall be transferred to IOMP.

Appendix:

ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP

This appendix lists additional categories of SEAFOMP membership, created under Article 5c of the constitution. These will be in force with effect from the date stated above until such time that  the Council agrees on a further revision.

	Conditions
Eligibility for Category	Privileges in Council	Privileges in Committees	Subscription
Affiliate Membership	Organizations seeking closer links with SEAFOMP which do not meet all conditions of Article 6.1	Attend and speak but not vote or hold office	Attend and speak but not vote or hold office	Rate set by Council
Industrial Membership	Companies active in the field of medical devices	Attend and speak but not vote or hold office	Attend and speak but not vote or hold office	Rate set by Council. Not eligible for subscription relief